Root of all Evil
by InvaderRed
Summary: A series of oneshots with any character I see fit. Anything from death to retarded humor lies here..
1. Sleepless

AN: Basically how things woulda played out if I'd been in this position. XD

'_The reason you felt tired as everyone around you did is because you believed you needed sleep. We are not like them, we do not need true rest, nor do we need food and water. How is it I can take a bullet and not bleed? We are truly different, and when you fully realize this, you will no longer be weighed down by these weaknesses.'_

Nevva pondered these words as she stared from the hotel balcony, into the streets. Saint Dane was teaching her everything she needed, wanted, to know. It felt good, and yet at times nerve wracking. Even with his patience, she felt any moment he'd grow tired of her and leave. She struggled still with changing her appearance, and although her acting was brilliant, she was having trouble letting go of her old habits.

It was nice to know she'd never die from lack of sleep, and lack of food.

'_But what if I die from boredom??'_

Car tires screeched down below, but no accident came to be. Disappointed, though guilty for it, she turned to go inside and find something to clean, if nothing else.

Saint Dane was in the adjoining room, most likely planning out the next weeks' events. She felt a twinge of irritation as she stood in the empty yellow tinted room. '_I wish I could entertain myself like that for hours, instead of being stuck alone in a hotel room envying someone for their planning skills.'_ Sighing, she pulled a loose strand of brown hair behind her ear and glanced around.

Nothing to clean, it seemed. She prided herself on being orderly, and the maids had come in while she was out earlier. Increasingly frustrated, she turned on the TV and found

nothing good on. Leaving it on, she got up and began stomping around the room for the sake of exercise over anger. She tried thinking of the things Saint Dane had told her earlier that day, imagining the next time she'd meet Bobby and the key lines she was supposed to use on him. She said them to herself as she paced to and from the blaring TV, when suddenly their adjoining door flew open, to reveal a disheveled looking Saint Dane.

"Nevva, for godsake it's four in the morning! Keep it down, I can't sleep with all this noise.."

She took in his rumpled clothing and squinted expression, and glared. "Forgive me for saying so, but what the HELL – "

"Just because we don't NEED sleep doesn't mean we can't still do it to pass the time. Now go to bed." With that, he was gone and the door was shut.

Nevva sat down on the bed and turned off the TV. She stared blankly at the black screen and basked in her newfound revelation.

'_He really IS evil.'_


	2. Smiles

The darkness is comforting, masking the terrors lurking about. We still hear the screams in the village, and the sky still glows with the fire's reflection. The scent of smoke is heavy in the air, I wonder frantically if my lungs are burning too, trying to calm my hammering heart.

The attack was quick, unexpected. It's me and Loor here now, I don't know where Alder is, and though I know he's gonna be okay, no matter what I'll see him again, there's no way he could still be there and be alive. Men scream, much like the beasts that tore this place to shreds. I wish Press was here, I wish none of this was happening. I try to focus on our breathing, cuz there's nothing else I can do.

When I was scared as a kid, my mom would take my hand and walk me through the problem. '_One step at a time, Bobby. See? It's not so bad now is it?' _ I'd laugh with her, and she'd give me that smile which filled me with pride. Pride over my success as her son..

I wonder if the noise will ever stop, when the beasts will find us too. Something cracks from a few feet away, and all else ceases to exist. I scramble up and stumble to what I hoped to God is Alder, he'd know I was waiting here. Travelers are lucky like that.

I want to scream with rage, scream for someone, scream at this mess, but I stand frozen as I stare into the quigs' smoldering eyes, smelling the blood on its breath, coming over me in humid puffs. I have a clear picture of what comes next, I somehow get out of this, that or the monsters just aren't real at all..

I think I'm dead, I think this is it. I'm thinking of Press and my family, I'm thinking none of this is right. I'll stop it somehow, I'll be okay, and where the hell is Alder, cuz when he gets here I gotta yell at him for scaring me so bad..

Still, fear holds me frozen in place, and Loor's right beside me. I turn my face and my eyes meet hers, willing her to hear my apology, willing her to understand.

'_I don't think I can do this, not this time'_

She takes my hand and smiles.

'_One step at a time..'_


	3. Braids

"Nevva, can you braid?"

What a strange question. I put my book down and gave Saint Dane a curious look. "You mean like hair?" He nodded. "Yes, I used to braid my hair a lot when I was young."

He smiled a little at that and rested a hand on my shoulder. "You still are, I'd enjoy that if I were you.."

I laughed, much to his confusion. "You say that like you're older than God or something!"

"Maybe I am."

"Are you?" I raised a brow and gave him the most intense stare I could muster.

He broke the silence with a false frown. "Hasn't anyone taught you it's rude to ask people their age?"

"It's rude to ask _women_.."

His expression told me exactly what he thought of that, and I couldn't help grinning up at him cheekily.

He knew I was just kidding.

"So, what did you want?"

"I want you to braid my hair."

Just kidding indeed.


	4. Holiday

Darkness covered the small town of Sael, contrasting to the warm glow of the streetlights and multicolored shop signs that flickered on and off. Beautiful a night as it was, what people were left mostly hurried in pairs, muttering and laughing to their homes, and the shops became lonely.

Leaning forward on the little steel chair, Nevva sipped her coffee and placed it back on the table. She'd always liked those outdoor cafes, where she could read a book in peace and enjoy a drink. Well, that was before Saint Dane entered her life. No matter, she had free time now and nothing better to do.

Peace was just what she wanted, silence was what she needed. And yet in this moment of silent peace, she felt dull and lifeless. Or was it the people around her? She sighed and leaned back, watching a child across the street stomp in puddles.

"Arlin!"

She turned to the voice on her side of the street, a disheveled man in his late thirties, she guessed. He waved to the child who ran across the street toward them. The little girl had beautiful red hair in braids. Nevva smiled at her mild envy. She could have any hair she wanted, any face. Why then, does she stick with boring brown? Her thoughts were interrupted by the child's bright face smiling up at her. "Hi pretty lady, you want a present?"

Said Pretty Lady wasn't sure what to say to this, and glanced at the supposed father who hurried over. The child tugged at her shirt. "I gave mom presents all the time, and she was _really_ pretty – but she's not around anymore, so I give presents to other pretty people!"

Nevva glanced down to what was offered in the child's hand. It was a keychain of some variety, with a small red kitty attached to it. Correction – a small red _plush_ kitty. She smiled at the girl, "Thank you.."

"Arlin, this isn't 'give presents to pretty people' day – sorry about that Miss, have a nice night." With that, he and the child disappeared down the stretch of road. Nevva smiled and looked down at her new toy. "Give Presents to Pretty People day, huh?"

A new sound made her turn to where the father had been. Saint Dane wandered to her table and smiled. "Knew I'd find you at a coffee shop.. Enjoy yourself?"

She smiled in return. "Yes, thank you.. Have you finished your work for tonight?"

"I suppose so, which now leaves me with nothing to do." He glanced down the empty street and back at her. "A little lonely here.. Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

She pondered this for a moment, then leaned forward taking his hand. She was amused at the look of genuine surprise as he glanced down at what she left. "Why is there a red toy in my hand?"

She stood and stretched her legs, ready to go back to their hotel. "Just taking part in Sael's holiday."


	5. Meant

Disclaimer: Nope.

AN: I guess, enjoy the crappy oneshots?

"Murder isn't really as fun as it looks, you know."

In the past twenty odd minutes of silence, this was among the last of things I expected to hear. That being said, when I turned around to properly address the wrongness of this statement, it turned out I actually had absolutely nothing to say. Call it shock.

The demon traveler looked back at me with that steady gaze. "Well it isn't. It's hard work covering your tracks, it's time and effort to figure when and where you'll be killing someone, and no matter how you do it there's always someone who _disapproves_."

Flabbergasted, I decided to acknowledge him. "Well YEAH, it's murder! What the hell are you expecting, a pat on the back? Who raised you, Hitler?"

Saint Dane tilted his head with a genuine look of innocence. "Hitler was one of your.. Presidents, correct?" It amazes me how this guy plans on overthrowing everything without even bothering to pick up a history book and check out exactly what he's overthrowing.

"Sure, why not. Why do you have to be so morbid all the time? It's bad enough we've been stuck here for.. Probably two hours!" Oh yeah, did I mention that? Me and my worst enemy, stuck in a cave. I wonder when we'll run out of oxygen.

As if reading my mind, he smiles like everything's just perfect. "We're not in any danger, if anything it's a good excuse to relax and have some one on one time, don't you think?"

"No."

We lapsed into silence for another few minutes, which should have come as a relief, but of course just made things really tense. Well it did for me anyways, Saint Dane seemed okay with the dead silence. He was distracted enough to be examining his shoe.

…

"Why murder?"

"What about murder?" His eyes remained focused on his foot, which was now idly waving from left to right on his heel.

"You started talking about murder for no reason – why?" Was he gonna tell me some strange riddle? Pass on yet another offensive moral that would totally be relevant the next time we meet?

"If there's no reason to talk about it, it's impossible to tell you why, Pendragon." The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, as my eye was ready start doing soon.

"You know what I mean! Why murder, why now?" I tried to pierce him with my stare. His gaze lifted to meet mine, holding a certain look of intensity. Leaning forward, he answered, ".. Why not?"

I slammed my head against the wall of the cave in frustration.

"I don't care what Press said, some things just AREN'T meant to be."


End file.
